At the end of 2022, the Lusail Stadium on the Persian Gulf witnessed the glory of the Pampas Eagles. The Argentine team defeated the French team in the World Cup finals and won the Hercules Cup again after 36 years.
▲ Argentina won the championship
In addition to football, the cattle and sheep in the Pampas , the aurora in Patagonia , and the red wine under the Andes are all Argentina’s national business cards. However, there is little news about Argentina in the international political and diplomatic arena, and it has always presented itself as harmless to humans and animals.
Apart from the dispute with the United Kingdom over the Malvinas Islands (called the Falkland Islands in the United Kingdom), it is difficult to see news about Argentina in the international political news.
▲harmless to humans and animals
Argentina is not without "big power ambitions". Since gaining independence in the early 19th century, Argentina has continuously increased its investment in the military field and launched a fierce geopolitical game with Brazil and Chile, both known as ABC powers.
Argentina believes that Falklands is only 600 kilometers away from its own coast and was part of Argentina as early as the Spanish colonial period in the 18th century. Although the UK is 13,000 kilometers away from the Falklands, it was the first country to discover the Falklands, and the UK has actually controlled the area since 1832.
▲ Falklands location
In its heyday, the Argentine military was equipped with advanced equipment, including battleships and aircraft carriers . The powerful military even established a military government to rule Argentina.
However, the Falklands War in 1982 completely ruined Argentina's status as a "military power". Argentina's military strength continued to decrease and it became an obedient "little sheep."
After more than 200 years of independence, how did the Argentine army fall from the peak of the eighth military power in the world? In the Falklands game, does Argentina still have the trump card to make a comeback?
▲ Argentina once had an aircraft carrier
1. The eagle flutters its wings
At the end of the 15th century, Spain and Portugal, two countries close to the Atlantic Ocean, were the first to colonize the Americas. The two countries signed the "Treaty of Tordesillas" in 1494, dividing their spheres of influence in the Americas, and the surrounding areas of the Falklands were included in the Spanish sphere of influence (the Falklands had not yet been discovered at this time).
Britain, France and other countries did not want Spain and Portugal to monopolize the Americas. After a series of colonial wars, by the middle of the 18th century, the American continent was divided and occupied by European countries, except for the extremely cold zones and inland canyons and mountains.
▲Colonial America
Spain is the country with the largest colony in the Americas. It ranges from Mexico in the north to the Rio de la Plata (today's central Argentina) in the south, with a total area of more than 12 million square kilometers.
In order to expand their territory, European countries continued to explore the interior and remote islands of the Americas. The Malvinas Islands (hereinafter referred to as the Falkland Islands, and the British called the Falkland Islands) were included in the colonial system in the 18th century.
Falklands Island has a cold climate near Antarctica, with a total area of 12,000 square kilometers (about 2 times the size of Shanghai). It consists of two main islands in the east and west and more than 700 scattered small islands in the surroundings. Before colonization, it was deserted.
▲Malvinas Islands
At the end of the 16th century, navigators from the Netherlands, Britain, Spain and other countries continued to announce the discovery of the Falklands. In 1764, French captain Louis Bougainville established the first human settlement on the East Island, and the British occupied the West Island.
In October 1766, Spain invoked the Treaty of Tordesillas and forced France to sell the East Island to Spain for 24,000 pounds. The British did not want to hand over the West Island, which eventually triggered an armed conflict between Britain and Spain in 1770.
▲Britain did not recognize the Spanish treaty
After the war, Britain and Spain reached a compromise. Britain continued to be stationed in the West Island with the acquiescence of Spain, while Spain continued to maintain sovereignty claims over the entire island and incorporated the Falklands into the jurisdiction of the Viceroyalty of La Plata (the predecessor of Argentina).
The Viceroyalty of La Plata covers an area of more than 2 million square kilometers, including today's Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northern Argentina. Its capital is located in Buenos Aires (now the capital of Argentina).
▲The Viceroyalty of La Plata (dark green)
The Viceroyalty of La Plata extends south to the mouth of the Rio de la Plata, and further south, Patagonia at the same latitude as the Falklands is controlled by the Mapuche people. Spain's actual control over the Falklands is limited.
In 1774, seeing that the desolate Falklands could not provide economic output, the British army decided to evacuate the place. Except for a small number of Hispanic immigrants on the East Island, the Falkland Islands once again returned to a deserted appearance.
▲ Inaccessible Island
From the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century, The American War of Independence caused Britain to lose a large part of its North American colonies. The rise of the French Revolution and Napoleon turned the European continent upside down.
In order to get Britain to obey, Napoleon decided to impose a continental blockade on Britain. The UK, which is in a period of rapid industrial development, urgently needs to find new overseas markets. At this time, Spain, which was controlled by France and was in decline, became the target of Britain, which decided to invade Spanish America.
From 1806 to 1807, the British army invaded the Spanish Viceroyalty of La Plata twice, hoping to expand its power to South America.
There were only a thousand Spanish troops stationed here. Facing the British army that was several times larger than its own, the provinces in the Viceroyalty formed several militia groups such as "Celebrities" and "Abelinho" to resist the British army. These militia groups were the predecessors of the Argentine army.
▲South American militias in the early 19th century
The two sides had fierce exchanges of fire in Buenos Aires and other cities. The militiamen repelled the British army after suffering more than 800 casualties. This was the first time that the Argentines fought against the British army, and it ended with the victory of the militia group.
In 1808, Napoleon sent troops to the Iberian Peninsula in order to strengthen his control over Spain and Portugal. This war greatly weakened Spanish rule over the American colonies, and a wave of independence emerged across the Americas.
▲ Napoleon Empire
At the beginning of independence, Argentina’s territory was only half of what it is today, with a population of less than 700,000. The Argentine army, which was adapted from provincial militias, numbered only 3,500 people, and the navy only had a few small offshore sailing ships.
▲The Argentine Army in the mid-19th century
The Falkland Islands are thousands of kilometers away from Argentina, and Argentina is unable to establish an administrative agency there. In 1826, Vernet, a German businessman who pioneered fishing in the Falklands, was appointed by the Argentine government to manage the local people and expel foreign fishing boats. Argentina used this to implement nominal rule over the Falklands.
After Argentina became independent, the powerful Buenos Aires province has been in infighting with other provinces. The province hopes to establish a centralized state and then control the country with its own strength. Other provinces called for a federal system that would retain the power of each province to levy tariffs and even raise armies.
In 1831, the provinces reached a compromise to form the loose Argentine Confederation. Each province retained its autonomy, and the powerful Buenos Aires Province indirectly acted as the "leader" of the Confederation and was responsible for the confederacy's diplomacy.
▲Argentina and the Falklands
When the Argentine Confederation was established, the United States sent troops to the Falklands to compete for fishing rights around the Falklands, and the Argentine forces were expelled from the Falklands. After the United States withdrew its troops, Britain, which valued the geographical location of the Falklands, sent troops to the island in 1832. In 1840, Britain officially established the Falklands as a colony.
Argentina strongly protested, believing that the sovereignty of the Falklands passed to it by Spain was the only legal claim. However, Argentina was weak and did not dare to clash head-on with Britain.
▲Flag of the British Falkland Islands
After 1830, Argentina continued to expand southward and occupied the Pampas grasslands that originally belonged to Indians.. Cheap land attracted a large number of European immigrants, especially poor Italian immigrants.
A civil war broke out in Argentina in 1854, which ended with the victory of the Province of Buenos Aires. In 1862, Argentina formally established a federal system, but the power of the provinces was greatly reduced, including not allowing the retention of local militias.
After the civil war, the strength of a unified Argentina continued to increase, but Argentina was not in a hurry to claim the Falklands back from Britain. Argentina has more important things to do than taking back that bitter cold land.
▲ South America in 1870
2. Latin American Powers
In the second half of the 19th century, Argentina, Chile and Brazil were also known as South American ABC (the initials of the three countries) powers, but the relationship between Argentina and the other two countries was not harmonious.
Its territorial dispute with Chile over southern Patagonia is intensifying, and it is at odds with Brazil over its dominance of the La Plata River Basin.
Argentina believes that military power is a strong backing for its struggle for geopolitical hegemony. The Argentine Army has expanded its personnel and is equipped with new rifles and artillery, and its navy has also purchased new warships.
▲ABC Powerful Country
By the second half of the 19th century, Britain became Argentina's largest investor, accounting for more than 40% of Argentina's foreign investment and exerting a vital influence on Argentina's economy.
Argentina’s military expansion plan also relies on the United Kingdom, especially the construction of naval warships. For this reason, Argentina has temporarily shelved the Falklands dispute.
In 1880, Argentina launched the "Desert Expedition" to annex the Patagonia region, and Argentina's territory was basically established.
▲ Argentina and Chile expanded southward at the same time
After annexing Patagonia, the distance from Argentina to the Falkland Islands was shortened from 1,400 kilometers to 600 kilometers. However, Argentina has not yet taken action against the Falklands, because the threats to Argentina from Chile and Brazil are increasing.
Especially from 1879 to 1884, Chile defeated the Peruvian -Bolivia coalition forces in the Saltpeter War and occupied the Atacama Desert, the birthplace of saltpeter, breaking the strategic balance of power in South America.
In order to maintain its geographical advantage, Chile established Latin America's first "full cruiser fleet" by outsourcing warships (mainly from the United Kingdom), and its naval strength ranks first in Latin America. At this time, there was still a dispute between the two countries over the demarcation of the Andes Mountains, and the Chilean Navy put great pressure on Argentina.
▲Chile expanded northward
The expansion plan of the Argentine Navy was immediately introduced, with plans to purchase 4 armored cruisers and a number of auxiliary ships. Since there are a large number of Italian immigrants in Argentina, Argentina decided to order main battleships from Italy out of ethnic sentiment, and auxiliary ships from the United Kingdom.
After 1896, Italian shipyards successively delivered 4 battleships. Except for the first ship "Garibaldi", the other three ships all had a displacement of more than 8,000 tons (at the same time, the displacement of the battleship Zhenyuan of China's Beiyang Fleet was 7,200 tons). The arms race between Argentina and Chile intensified, and Brazil soon joined it.
In 1906, the British "Dreadnought" battleship was launched. Its new design concept and stronger firepower were far ahead of other battleships of the same era, bringing revolutionary changes to the development of the world's navies.
▲Dreadnought
Brazil, which had been significantly lagging behind in naval construction, immediately placed an order for three Dreadnought-class battleships from the United Kingdom to protect its increasingly prosperous rubber and coffee trade and enhance its international status.
Once Brazil possesses the dreadnought , it will form an overwhelming advantage in South American waters. Argentina and Chile decided to expand their armies in response.
▲Brazil’s Dreadnought Ship Launched
Chile, like Brazil, chose to purchase Dreadnought Ships from the United Kingdom. The United States won an order from Argentina to produce two 28,000-ton Rivadavia-class dreadnoughts.
Most of the ships of the three countries were completed around 1914. It happened that World War broke out at this time, and the warships of Brazil and Chile were temporarily requisitioned by the United Kingdom. The United States did not immediately enter the war, and Argentina's battleships were all delivered before 1915. The total tonnage of the Argentine Navy reached 118,000 tons, making it the ninth largest navy in the world and the largest navy in Latin America.
▲ Argentina’s battleships
Argentina, which has a powerful navy, did not take advantage of World War I to attack the Falklands. Since the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, the number of ships passing through the Strait of Magellan has decreased, and the military value of the Falklands has dropped significantly.
Between 1880 and 1913, British investment in Argentina soared from 20.34 million pounds to 680 million pounds. British capital built railways, ports, and large farms in Argentina, which was an important driving force for Argentina's economic development. Argentina did not dare or want to offend Britain.
▲Argentine Railway Network
British investment helped Argentina’s economic take-off. In 1914, per capita income ranked among the top ten in the world, higher than Spain, Italy, Switzerland and other countries.
Argentina is the world's largest producer of corn and flax, the world's second largest wheat exporter, the second largest wool producer and the third largest livestock producer. Buenos Aires is the second largest city on the Atlantic coast of the Americas after New York.
▲ Rapid population growth
The powerful Argentine fleet huddled in the harbor and spent the years of World War I peacefully. After World War I, due to the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Argentina's global naval ranking was promoted to 8th, but this powerful fleet lacked a sense of presence.
In addition to going to the United States for modification and upgrade in 1925, the daily mission of the two Rivadavia-class battleships is to cruise along the 5,000-kilometer coastline at the door of Argentina.
After the outbreak of World War II, Argentina once again stayed out of the conflict, and the Falklands became part of the Allies under British control. In order to prevent Japanese sneak attacks, the British army expanded the garrison here.
During World War II, German and Italian fascist forces penetrated into Argentina. The Argentine military took the opportunity to establish a military government and control Argentina in 1943. After World War II, Peron, minister of labor of the military government and a school-level military officer, was elected president in 1946. At this time, Argentina's GDP was approximately US$7 billion, ranking eighth in the world at that time.
▲ In the world economic rankings of 1946, Argentina ranked eighth
In order to obtain a military status commensurate with its economic strength, he took advantage of the post-war opportunities of the navies of defeated countries such as Germany, Japan, and Italy being carved up and dismantled, and the surplus of US and British warships, and took the opportunity to purchase naval vessels from the West. The total tonnage of the Argentine Navy reached a historical peak of 148,000 tons in 1952, making it the fifth largest navy in the world.
Argentina has invested US$60 million and plans to expand its navy by 15,000 personnel and modernize and upgrade its old warships. In order to repay its debt to Argentina, the United States provided 100 Gloster fighter jets to Argentina in 1947, making Argentina the first country in Latin America to possess jet fighters.
▲Argentina’s Gloucester fighter
Britain suffered heavy losses in World War II and was no longer able to invest in Argentina, let alone digest the huge amounts of Argentine beef and leather as before the war. After the war, Argentina embraced the lap of the United States, and the relationship between Britain and Argentina was no longer close.
The demise of the old colonial empire gave Argentina an opportunity for the rise of nationalist thought. Argentines believed that they had been reduced to a European colony and economic territory. After World War II, Argentines wanted to regain the leadership of the country.
In the context of the decline in British influence and the rise of Argentine nationalism, the Falklands issue has been heated up. In 1952, the Peron government submitted an application to the newly established United Nations, requesting recognition of the Falklands' colonial status, thereby forcing Britain to return the Falklands to the wave of decolonization.
▲The United Nations cannot resolve the Falklands dispute
The United Kingdom believes that the strategic and economic value of the Falklands is not high and agrees to start negotiations with Argentina. However, there are still voices within the United Kingdom that oppose the return of the Falklands to Argentina, and the British-Arab negotiations have made no progress.
President Peron was overthrown by a coup in 1955. In the following 18 years, the Argentine government switched back and forth between civilian and military governments. Internal strife caused Argentina's economy to stagnate. Unemployment and inflation continued to rise, which seriously affected Argentina's energy to solve the Falklands issue.
▲Peron
During this period, Argentina was still strengthening its army. In 1957, Argentina's two Rivadavia-class battleships were retired after more than half a century of service. Argentina then purchased two British-made light aircraft carriers, named Independence and May 25, in 1958 and 1960.
Until the 1960s, the Argentine Air Force ranked first in Latin America. With the help of the West, the Army gained the ability to upgrade and transform the American Sherman tanks . The total tonnage of the Argentine Navy remained above 80,000 tons, maintaining its status as the eighth naval power in the world.
▲ Global naval tonnage ranking in 1964
3. Death on the Island
In 1973, Peron, who had been dormant for many years, was re-elected as president of Argentina . He died of illness a year later in his twilight years. His widow, Vice President Mrs. Peron, succeeded her, but the Argentine military staged another coup in 1976, overthrowing Mrs. Peron and establishing a military government.
When the military government came to power, affected by the oil crisis and Western restrictions on Argentina's agricultural exports, Argentina's foreign debt and unemployment rate were rising, and the inflation rate reached an astonishing 600%.
▲The military government came to power
Angry people launched protests, and the Argentine military vigorously suppressed them. Between 1976 and 1983, demonstrators were arrested, tortured and even killed. Tens of thousands of opponents were arrested and disappeared after being arrested by the Argentine military. The Argentine people were panicked, and the image of the Argentine military in the hearts of the people plummeted.
Suppression by force cannot solve Argentina’s economic difficulties, and people’s resistance has become increasingly fierce. In order to divert domestic conflicts, the Argentine military government decided to inflame the Falklands dispute.
Earlier negotiations between Britain and Afghanistan over the sovereignty of the Falklands were stalled due to the discovery of nearby oil fields in the 1970s. The British government changed its tone in the 1960s when it planned to return the Falkland Islands and stated that it would never give up the Falkland Islands.
▲The capital of the Falkland Islands
In 1981, Galtieri, Commander-in-Chief of the Afghan Army, was elected as the president of the country. Faced with domestic economic deterioration and political chaos, he believed that only by recapturing the Falklands could the military government be preserved.
In order to pave the way for the war, Galtieri visited the United States twice in succession and met with US President Reagan . The leaders of the United States and Argentina had a very happy talk, and the United States agreed to lift restrictions on arms exports to Argentina. A large number of American tourists came to Argentina, giving a boost to Argentina's tourism industry.
▲ Galtieri
On the other hand, Galtieri ordered the military to actively prepare for war. As of 1982, the Afghan army had a total strength of 175,000 troops (327,000 British troops), including 120,000 army troops, equipped with hundreds of tanks and armored vehicles including self-developed TAMs. The navy has a total tonnage of 82,000 tons (British 550,000 tons), and the air force maintains a total of more than 350 fighter aircraft such as the American Skyhawk, the French Super Etendard, and the Phantom .
Although the overall strength lags behind the United Kingdom, Argentina has a local combat advantage. The previous friendly attitude of the United States towards Argentina also made Galtieri make a wrong judgment, believing that the United States would be on his side.
▲Afghanistan aircraft carrier
In the early morning of April 2, 1982, more than 3,000 Afghan troops landed on the Falklands and forced a landing on the island with superior force. Galtieri immediately gave a televised speech and announced the recovery of sovereignty over the Falklands and the adjacent South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.
Galtieri concluded that Britain would not go to war with Argentina over the desolate land of the Falklands. As long as the United States came to mediate at this time, Argentina could give Britain a step to evacuate the Falklands in a dignified manner.
▲Argentina underestimated the determination of the British when the Afghan troops landed on the island. After the Afghan troops landed on the island, British Prime Minister Mrs. Thatcher immediately suspended diplomacy between the two countries.
Britain concentrated 65% of its maritime forces to form a task force with a total strength of 35,000 troops, 118 ships, and more than 350 aircraft. It headed towards the Falklands in a mighty manner. Hundreds of British merchant ships provided support for the British army along the way.
▲The British army fought across thousands of miles
The British army blocked the waters around the Falklands, and successively sank the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano, the submarine Santa Fe and other equipment. The Argentinian army’s only aircraft carrier, the 20,000-ton May 25, had to huddle in the port. The British army controlled the sea of the Falklands.
In times of crisis, the Argentine Air Force frequently attacked and sank the British destroyer HMS Sheffield, saving some face for Argentina.
▲The Sheffield was sunk
Under Mrs. Thatcher’s diplomatic operation, the United States, France and other countries turned to the United Kingdom and refused to provide ammunition and equipment parts to the Afghan army. The Argentine Air Force was unable to provide support to the troops defending the island.
On May 12, 1982, the British army began to land on the island. The Argentine defenders, who had lost air and sea control, were unable to fight back. On June 11, the British army recaptured Port Stanley, the capital of the Falklands. Three days later, the Argentine garrison commander Major General Menendez, who had completely lost his fighting spirit, led 9,800 Argentine troops to surrender to the British army. The Falklands War ended.
▲Loss on both sides
Galtieri, who lost the war, was forced to resign, and the Argentine military government collapsed the following year. After a period of turmoil, Menem was elected president of Argentina in 1989, ushering in the ten-year Menem reform.
At the same time as economic reform, Menem also promoted military reform. Although Argentina never gave up its sovereignty over the Falklands, with the continuous mediation of the Holy See and the United States, Britain and Argentina resumed diplomatic relations in 1990, greatly reducing the possibility of a war between the two countries. The brutal rule of the previous military government is still vivid in our minds. In order to prevent the military from making a comeback, Menem decided to disarm.
▲Menem
As of 1999, the total strength of the Afghan army dropped to 72,000, a 60% reduction from the Falklands War. Military expenditures accounted for 9.6% of government expenditures in 1999, down from 18.2% in 1989.
Ammunition, electrical appliances, chemicals, and steel companies controlled by the military have been privatized one after another, weakening the military's economic dominance. The Navy's aircraft carriers and destroyers have been decommissioned one after another, and the Air Force's Super Etendard and other fighter jets have also been grounded due to lack of spare parts.
When the 21st century arrived, the Argentine army that once advocated force and was full of fangs disappeared.
▲The Afghan army has become a ceremonial role
4. The glory is no longer
After Britain and Afghanistan resumed diplomatic relations, the two countries signed a cooperation agreement on oil and gas exploration around the Falklands in 1995. However, the United Kingdom refused to negotiate on the sovereignty of the Falklands, and the Falklands continued to disturb British-Afghanistan relations.
After 2000, successive Argentine governments have continuously reaffirmed their sovereignty over the Falklands. Due to deepening conflicts, Argentina even withdrew from multiple agreements signed with the United Kingdom on the Falklands in 2007.
▲The Falklands War caused great damage to Argentina. The picture shows the captured Argentinian soldiers.
The United Kingdom also responded in kind. In 2009, when Brown, then British Prime Minister, met with Argentine President Kirchner, he stated that there would be no further negotiations on the sovereignty of the Falklands. In 2013, the United Kingdom unilaterally held a referendum on the island, and more than 99.8% of the islanders agreed to remain in the United Kingdom.
Today, most of the nearly 4,000 residents living on the island are descendants of British immigrants. The British have stationed nearly a thousand people here, and nuclear submarines are deployed around to monitor the sea area. However, the annual defense expenditure of more than 80 million pounds has also become a heavy burden on the British government.
▲The British flag flies on the Falkland Islands
Argentina protests against British occupation at the United Nations every year. However, the British have ruled the area stably for nearly 200 years, and Argentina's protests pale in comparison.
The act of disarmament also made Argentina lose the confidence to take back the Falklands by force. As of 2022, the total tonnage of the Argentine Navy is only 28,000 tons, which is less than 19% of its peak. Due to the British technical blockade, the Air Force is unable to purchase advanced fighters. Among the more than 100 fixed-wing aircraft remaining, only 22 A-4Rs are useful.
▲Small destroyers are Argentina’s main battleships today
to this day In Japan, the vast majority of developing countries, including China and Russia, recognize the Falklands as part of Argentina and believe that the British occupation of the Falklands is a continuation of colonial history; Western countries led by the United States are more supportive of the United Kingdom; the United Nations issued a resolution in 1965 to end the colonization of the Falklands, euphemistically recognizing Argentina's sovereignty over the Falklands.
The once martial-arts Argentine army now lives in peace with the democratically elected government. The overall strength has dropped to 40th in the world, and it no longer considers attacking the Falklands. Perhaps, the frustration in the hearts of the Argentinians can only be recovered from the green field.
▲Monument to fallen soldiers in the Falklands, Argentina
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